Improved charge and discharge mechanism for an industrial washing machine



y 1957 J. J. SCHANG 2,800,786

' IMPROVED CHARGE AND DISCHARGE MECHANISM FOR AN INDUSTRIAL WASHINGMACHINE Filed May 5, 1955 INVENTOR. JOfl/VJ JC/IA/VG ,4 TUTOR/V5) UnitedStates Patent 6 F IMPROVED CHARGE AND DISCHARGE MECH- FOR AN INDUSTRIALWASHING MA- C John J. Schang, Hazel Park, Mich.

Application May 5, 1955, Serial No. 506,162

4 Claims. (Cl. 68f58) This invention relates to shelless washingmachines of the type used in industry and of the type disclosed inPatent'No. 2,289,515 to Mathews.

An object of this invention is to generally improve industrial washingmachines of the type indicated and to provide a machine which is simplein construction, has a minimum of working parts, .and is highlyelfective in operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machinestructure which enables me to introduce live steam to the water andwashing solution and to keep the discharge end of the steam linesubmerged at all times, whereby the super heating of the water andsolution may be accomplished without interruption and may continueuniformly during the washing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple support for therotatable cylinder, through which, water, detergents and steam may beintroduced to the interior of the cylinder with a minimum of conduits,connections and controls, whereby a properly heated liquid level may bemaintained in the cylinder at all times.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wash ing machine whichis constructed and arranged so that all the supplies and water must comein contact with and pass through the clothes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine which isconstructed and arranged so that the discharge is regulated andcontrolled by the size and type of load in the machine withoutmechanical adjustments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine which isconstructed and arranged so that there is a delayed, continuous flow ofliquid through the machine during the washing and rinsing cycles,whereby the apertured end wall at the discharge side cannot becomeclogged.

Another object of the invention is to provide a washing machine in whichthere is a mixing chamber formed between one end wall of the cylinderand an apertured plate which has a solid marginal weir portion thereon.

In the Mathews Patent No. 2,289,515, the steam pipes terminated insidethe apertured baflles and rotated with the cylinder, so that when abaifie moved into a position above low dead center, the water thereinwould start to run out and by the time the bafiile reached upper deadcenter, it would have no water in it and the steam entering the bafflewould have no effect on the liquid which was doing the washing. It istherefore one of the objects of this invention to discharge the steaminto the mixing chamber at the end of the cylinder at all times belowthe liquid level, so it can agitate and heat the liquid constantly,while at the same time maintaining a minimum liquid level in thecylinder.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of my invention willbecome more apparent as the description proceeds, reference being madefrom time to time to the accompanying drawing forming part of the withindisclosure, in which drawing:

2,800,786 Patented July 30, 1957 Fig. 1 is a perspective view with partsbroken away, of a device embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be understoodthat in the embodiment herein disclosed, the reference character 7indicates a barrel, which is formed of an outer-wall 8, and end walls 9and 10, which are preferably secured together by welding. The end walls9 and 10 are formed with overhanging lips 11, which prevent any waterwhich might leak from the ends, from running along the barrel to thedrive belts '12, hereinafter described.

The barrel 7 is supported at either end for rotation, on supports 13 and14, which are tied together by means of a tie bar 15 (Fig. 1). Thesupports 13 and 14 carry bearing members '16 and '17 to which they areconnected by bolts 18 or other suitable means, whereby the barrel mayrotate under the influence of the belts 12, and pulleys 19 which arecarried on a shaft 20, which in turn rotates in bearings 21 and 22. Theshaft may be driven by a motor (not shown).

The end member 9 has an inturned collar 23 which carries the inner race24 of the bearing, the rollers 25 of which ride on an outer race 26which is positioned inside the flange 27 of the bearing member 16.

The end member 10, has bolted to it the flange 28 of a spindle 29 whichengages the bearing 17. The bearing member 16 is provided near thecenter with three threaded passage-ways 30, 31 and 32, into which arethreaded the chemical pipe 33, the water pipe 34 and the steam pipe 35.The steam pipe 35 has an extension 36 which terminates as at 37 in adistributor head, which is always located below the water level in thebarrel, so that the water and chemical solution are always keptuniformly agitated and property heated as the barrel is rotated.

In order to maintain a proper liquid level in the barrel, I provide aplate 38 in spaced relation with the end wall 9 of the barrel. Thisplate 38 and end plate 10 are perforated as at 39 throughout their areasexcept along the outer peripheral area as at 40. This unperforated area40, together with a similar area 41 in the end plate 10 serve as weirsor dams to insure a liquid depth of at least 6 /2 inches in the barrelat all times, yet permits the liquid to flow in a delayed manner throughthe device. The barrel is preferably divided into two sections by meansof an apertured partition 42. Each section is provided with a loadingdoor 43 and 44.

The barrel is provided with spaced longitudinal baffles or ribs 45,which serve to agitate and move the contents of the barrel duringrotation. These ribs 45 are not perforated as taught by the patent toMathews cited above, and are of such height as to always remain belowthe liquid level in the barrel when at low dead center.

The space between the end wall 9 and the plate 38 defines a mixingchamber in which there is always a pre determined depth of liquid, intowhich the steam pipe 35, 36 and 37 discharges its steam as previouslydescribed.

Liquid passing through the apertured end plate 16 is collected in acollector 47 and drained off through a pipe 48. The collector 47encircles the end of the barrel 8 and has an inturned edge 49 whichoverrides the lip 11 formed on the plate 10.

It is believed that the operation of the device is obvious from theforegoing description.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A washing machine of the character described com tation thereon abouta horizontal axis, one end wall of said barrel having a central opening,fixed means for delivering material into said barrel through the openingin said end wall, the opposite end wall ofsaid barrel, having a circularperforated area and a surrounding'annular unperforated area, a similarlyperforated plate in' said barrel, spaced from said first named end'walland 'parallel thereto defining 'a'mixing chamber between said tfirstnamed end wall and the unperforated area of said plate.

2. The structure defined in claim 7, including a steam conduit whichextends through said first named end wall, and has its discharge endpositioned in said mixing chamber below the outward limit of theperforated area of said perforated plate.

3. In a washing machine of the character described, including a barrelrotatable about a horizontal axis, an apertured plate in said barrel inspaced parallel relation 2,800,786 I I, v

with one end wall of said barrel, said plate having a solid 4. In awashing machine of the character described, including a barrel rotatableabout a horizontal axis, an apertured plate in said barrel in spacedparallel relation with one end wall of said barrel, said plate having asolid weir portion along its outer marginal edge, said weir portion andsaid end wall defining an inlet mixing chamber in said barrel, saidfirst named end wall having a central opening for receiving conduits,there being a steam conduit received in said opening and terminating ata point in said mixing chamber below the upper edge of the weir portionof said apertured plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 78,835Schayer June 9, 1868 408,690 Burton Aug. 13, 1889 522,970 Crawford July'17, 1894 1,002,929 Pohlmann Sept. 12, 1911 2,243,325 Windell May 27,1941 2,289,515 Mathews July 14, 1942 2,370,285 Beede Feb. 27, 1945

